Remote controller, transmitting and receiving apparatus and method

• US 8,656,434 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhong, Jun Fei
• Application Number:
  US12/546,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20090310032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 725/51, 725/80, 348/734, 340/825
• US Class Current: 725/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In a system, tabulated information on broadcasting programs is supplied through a network. When a user selects information on a desired program from the tabulated information of programs, supplemental information attached to the individual program information is converted into an remote control signal to remote-control a user'"'"'s receiver to receive the desired program.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

an input unit that inputs device identification information to identify a device to be controlled by a remote control device, the input unit including a keyboard; and

a code data output unit that outputs code data for controlling the device identified by the device identification information, the code data output unit including a code storage portion,

wherein the code data is downloaded from an internet server connected with the remote control system via the internet to the remote control system based on the device identification information,

wherein the remote control system displays a control command that is used to reserve a program and is transmitted via the internet in a form of hypertexts in a browser that connects to the internet and displays WWW pages, and

wherein a user uses the remote control system to make access to a plurality of service providers, and the remote control system displays browser pages of the plurality of the service provides for the user to obtain program information and control commands attached to a title of a program associated with the program information, both the program information and control commands being in the form of hypertexts, and

wherein the attachment between the title of the program and the control commands is adapted so that a reservation of the program is implemented by clicking the title of the program.

2. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein

the device identification information includes information regarding a type of the device and a manufacturer.

3. The remote control system according to claim 2, wherein

the input unit selects the type of the device from a plurality of types of devices.

4. The remote control system according to claim 2, wherein

the input unit selects the manufacturer of the device from a plurality of manufacturers.

5. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein

the code data output unit obtains the code data for controlling the device identified by the device identification information from a database storing code data for a plurality of devices via a network.

6. A method for outputting code data for a remote control device comprising the steps of:

inputting device identification information to identify a device to be controlled by the remote control device; and

outputting code data for controlling the device identified by the device identification information

wherein the code data is downloaded from an internet server connected with the remote control system via the internet to the remote control system based on the device identification information,

wherein the method displays a control command that is used to reserve a program and is transmitted via the internet in a form of hypertexts in a browser that connects to the internet and displays WWW pages, and

wherein a user uses the remote control device to make access to a plurality of service providers, and the remote control device displays browser pages of the plurality of the service providers for the user to obtain program information and control commands attached to a title of a program associated with the program information, both the program information and control commands being in the form of hypertexts, and

wherein the attachment between the title of the program and the control commands is adapted so that a reservation of the program is implemented by clicking the title of the program.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

the device identification information includes information regarding a type of the device and a manufacturer.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the type of the device is selected from a plurality of types of devices when inputting the type of the device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the manufacturer of the device is selected from a plurality of manufacturers when inputting the manufacturer of the device.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of

obtaining the code data for controlling the device identified by the device identification information from a database storing code data for a plurality of devices via a network.

11. A method for transmitting code data for a remote control device comprising the steps of:

transmitting first graphical user interface data from a server to a client via a network for displaying a device setting menu on the client for selecting a type of a device to be controlled by the remote control device from a plurality of types of devices;

transmitting second graphical user interface data from the server to the client via a network for displaying a manufactuer setting menu on the client for selecting a manufactuer of the device from a plurality of manufacturers;

receiving information regarding the type of the device and the manufacture;

selecting the code data for the remote control device based on the received information; and

transmitting the selected code data for the remote control device from the server to the client via the network,

wherein the code data is downloaded from an internet server connected with the remote control device via the internet to the remote control device based on the device identification information,

wherein the remote control device displays a control command that is used to reserve a program and transmitted via the internet in a form of hypertexts in a browser that connects to the Internet and displays WWW pages, and

wherein the clients uses the remote control device to make access to a plurality of service providers, and the remote control device displays browser pages of the plurality of the service providers for the client to obtain program information and control commands attached to a title of a program information and control commands being in the form of hypertexts, and

wherein the attachment between the title of the program and the control commands is adapted so that a reservation of the program is implemented by clicking the title of the program.

12. A remote control system comprising:

a receiver that receives program information of a program via the internet, the receiver including a browser that connects to the internet and displays WWW pages;

a display that displays the program information, a control command that is used to reserve a program and device identification information to identify a device to record the program;

selecting unit that selects the control command and selects the device identification information, the selecting unit including a keyboard; and

an output unit that outputs a command signal that instructs the device identified by the selected device identification information to record the program based on the selected control command, the output unit including a code storage portion,

wherein code data associated with a control command are downloaded from an internet server connected with the remote control system via the internet to the remote control system based on the device identification information,

wherein a user uses the remote control system to make access to a plurality of service providers, and the remote control system displays browser pages of the plurality of the service providers for the user to obtain program information an control commands attached to a title of a program associated with the program information, both the program information and control commands being in a form of hypertexts, and

wherein the attachment between the title of the program and the control commands is adapted so that a reservation of the program is implemented by clicking the title of the program.

13. The remote control system according to claim 12, wherein

the device identification information includes information regarding a type of the device and a manufacturer.

14. The remote control system according to claim 12, wherein

the select unit selects the type of the device from a plurality of types of devices.

15. The remote control system according to claim 12, wherein

the select unit selects the manufacturer of the device from a plurality of manufacturers.

16. The remote control system according to claim 12, wherein

the output unit obtains code data for controlling the device identified by the device identification information from a database storing code data for a plurality of devices via a network.